How to Use Tile Spacers

Today, more than ever before, homeowners are electing to tackle home improvement projects themselves, as opposed to hiring contractors. While sometimes they are looking to save money, other times they just like the satisfaction of completing the work themselves. They take pride in beautifying their homes.

Why Use Tile Spacers?

One of the most challenging projects to undertake, for the at-home do-it-yourselfer, is tiling. There is so much that goes into the work; achieving a uniform and professional finish can be quite an undertaking. Flooring is a significant component of any room, it covers the largest service and sets the tone for the overall decor. When you embark on a project involving it, you want to make sure you do it right. An extremely important step is preparing floor for tile. Make sure you have the correct tile installation steps in mind before you start. 

Sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest of differences such as having the right tile installation tools.  Tile spacers are small pieces of plastic that can be an incredibly valuable tool to anyone planning on laying a tile floor. Available in a range of sizes and shapes, these tools help you work more efficiently,  maintain equal spacing between your tiles, and lay a level floor. Even and smooth tiling increases the life of your floor.

The Tile Spacer Process 

The first thing to do when working with tile and spacers is to identify the size that you need.  Keep in mind that the size of your spacers is going to determine the width of your grout.

Then, test the size.  Starting in the room’s center,  lay out a trial pattern to see how it looks.  Keep in mind there are always “awkward spaces” and oddly shaped corners or areas around fixtures. You want to make sure the tile pattern works in those areas.

Once you have determined the pattern, identify the center of the room and create a gridline to make sure that your tile and spacers are straight. Once that tile is secure, place spacers on the corners of the tiles and place tiles adjacent to them. Continue to do this, until the floor is complete.

You need to remove the spacers, using needle-nose pliers, but wait until the adhesive is partially set. This is usually around half an hour. Then, you can grout. An important note: if you happen to leave a spacer in too long, don’t fret. Just tap it gently until it moves and you should be able to remove it.

One final note, if you pull your tile spacers at the right time, you can save them and use them again! These are not “one and done” materials. The value tile spacers bring to a project is considerable - they are instrumental in laying an evenly spaced, smooth, flat floor.

If you are embarking on a tile project, Tile Pro Source can help. We stock the highest quality tile tools available such as tile adhesive, tile cutter and so much more. Our inventory is significant and our salespeople knowledgeable. We invite you to view our inventory and contact us with any questions.